Af Veterans Find Soaring Success In Franchise

March 24, 2014 - PRLog -- VIRGINIA BEACH, VA - Retired Air Force Veteran, Rob Chick is no stranger to risk. As a member of the well-respected “Wild Weasels”, he spent over a decade baiting enemy missile sites in order to reveal their covert locations. But when the time came to transition into the civilian workforce, Chick was nervous about his odds of survival.

“It can be a rough road,” said Chick. “I’ve seen a lot of successful men and women in uniform struggle to find the right opportunities in the civilian sector.”

Rob’s wife, Christina spent two decades working in Air Force Intelligence as a Chinese linguist and software specialist. She, too, wondered how she could parlay her military career into a lifelong dream of owning a business.

After learning about franchise opportunities through VetFran, an organization that connects franchise companies to those transitioning out of the armed forces, the Chicks took a chance with Budget Blinds, a home improvement franchise specializing in the design and installation of window treatments.

Franchise ownership has proven to be an ideal niche for this Veteran couple. Franchises offer formulaic systems and standard operating procedures in a team-based environment familiar to most U.S. Veterans.

“The military teaches men and women the kind of discipline, integrity and determination necessary to be a successful entrepreneur,” said Chad Hallock, CEO of Budget Blinds, who currently works with over 50 U.S Veteran franchisees. “Veterans are excellent leaders, with experience collaborating with others and both setting and achieving goals, making them ideal candidates for running successful franchise operations.”

Budget Blinds has seen so much success in its Veteran franchise owners, the company recently launched a program to further help former service members and their spouses become a part of its team. Referred to as the Million Dollar Franchise Event, it’s a chance for military Veterans of all backgrounds to purchase a Budget Blinds franchise at a significant $35,000 discount. The program hopes to award a Budget Blinds franchise to 30 deserving Veterans and spouses, reaching over $1,000,000 in total discounts.

Rob and Christina are now part of a Veteran franchise-owner mentoring program, where existing Veteran franchise owners are paired with new ones to help get their business off the ground. With several existing franchise opportunities throughout the state of Virginia, Budget Blinds anticipates many of these territories to be awarded to more U.S. Veterans through its new incentive program.

To learn more about U.S. Veteran franchise discounts for Budget Blinds® and Tailored Living® through the company’s Million Dollar Franchise Event, please visit www.BB4Vets.com or www.TL4Vets.com.